Written Answers Friday 23 April 2010

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has asked Scottish Enterprise to carry out regarding the economic impact of minimum pricing on Scotch whisky exports.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not asked Scottish Enterprise to carry out any work regarding the economic impact of minimum pricing on Scotch whisky exports. Minimum pricing will only apply to the retail price of alcohol sold in Scotland.

Alcohol

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has asked Scottish Development International to carry out regarding the economic impact of minimum pricing on Scotch whisky exports.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not asked Scottish Development International to carry out any work regarding the economic impact of minimum pricing on Scotch whisky exports. Minimum pricing will only apply to the retail price of alcohol sold in Scotland.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 17 March 2010, Modern Apprenticeships, under which modern apprenticeship frameworks the 20,000 modern apprenticeships fall.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 11 January 2010, Invest in an apprentice, under which modern apprenticeship frameworks the 4,000 modern apprenticeships fall.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 17 March 2010, Modern Apprenticeships, from what date the target of delivering 18,500 modern apprenticeships started.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government committed to fund 18,500 new start modern apprenticeship places in 2009-10. These were delivered between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Apprenticeships

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stonemasonry apprenticeships it will provide in 2010-11, broken down by local authority area.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Apprenticeships

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Renfrewshire have been in modern apprenticeships in each year since 1996-97.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Asylum Seekers

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the detention of children at Dungavel Detention Centre and where and when such discussions took place.

Adam Ingram: Fiona Hyslop (the then Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning) met with the Minister of State (then Liam Byrne) on 11 October 2007 in London. She continued to raise the concern of the detention of children in written correspondence with Liam Byrne between August 2007 and June 2008. The First Minister reaffirmed this opposition in written correspondence to the Home Secretary (initially Jacqui Smith and subsequently Alan Johnston) from December 2007 to May 2008. Michael Russell (the then Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution) met with the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, Phil Woolas, on 9 November 2009 in London and subsequently wrote to Mr Woolas on 20 November 2009.

  Scottish Government officials have bi-monthly meetings and informal contact with officials from the UK Border Agency to discuss the support available to asylum seeking children during their stay in Scotland.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures were issued for (a) assault and (b) assault to injury in January 2010, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges of (a) assault and (b) assault to injury where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  The 195 charges relate to a total of 176 persons issued with an offer of a direct measure, out of a total of 3,170 persons offered a direct measure during the same period.

  The figures include only those direct measures that were affected by the provisions in the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  

Office
Direct Measures Issued
Charges Reported


Assault
Assault to Injury
Assault
Assault to Injury


Aberdeen
16
2
162
73


Airdrie
7
-
95
19


Alloa
-
-
38
16


Arbroath
1
-
31
19


Ayr
3
1
48
54


Banff
-
-
8
5


Campbeltown
-
-
6
8


Cupar
7
-
4
3


Dingwall
-
-
32
1


Dornoch
-
-
4
-


Dumbarton
2
2
61
30


Dumfries
3
4
24
15


Dundee
11
4
95
31


Dunfermline
-
2
48
39


Dunoon
-
-
4
5


Edinburgh
10
2
182
186


Elgin
5
4
40
14


Falkirk
9
-
78
28


Forfar
2
-
23
3


Fort William
1
-
9
1


Glasgow
41
7
431
158


Greenock
-
-
20
15


Haddington
-
-
17
28


Hamilton
5
3
120
54


Inverness
12
-
145
5


Jedburgh
-
-
14
13


Kilmarnock
3
-
66
45


Kirkcaldy
12
1
73
72


Kirkcudbright
-
-
2
4


Kirkwall
2
-
11
-


Lanark
1
-
19
6


Lerwick
2
-
14
-


Livingston
7
2
48
50


Lochmaddy
1
-
2
-


Oban
1
2
18
4


Paisley
10
1
84
27


Peebles
-
-
5
5


Perth
2
1
56
14


Peterhead
1
2
37
10


Rothesay
-
-
5
1


Selkirk
-
-
3
9


Stirling
4
2
54
30


Stonehaven
1
-
11
1


Stornoway
3
-
12
-


Stranraer
3
-
13
11


Tain
4
-
33
-


Wick
3
-
11
7


Grand Total
195
42
2,316
1,119



  Note: 1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures were issued for (a) assault and (b) assault to injury in February 2010, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges of (a) assault and (b) assault to injury where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  The 184 charges relate to a total of 169 persons issued with an offer of a direct measure, out of a total of 3,836 persons offered a direct measure during the same period.

  The figures include only those direct measures that were affected by the provisions in the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  

Office
Direct Measures issued
Charges Reported


Assault
Assault to Injury
Assault
Assault to Injury


Aberdeen
13
3
162
48


Airdrie
6
1
96
46


Alloa
-
-
36
14


Arbroath
3
-
17
22


Ayr
1
2
55
49


Banff
-
-
4
6


Campbeltown
-
-
2
5


Cupar
1
1
10
8


Dingwall
1
1
19
1


Dornoch
2
-
7
-


Dumbarton
6
1
76
22


Dumfries
-
2
31
26


Dundee
10
-
63
32


Dunfermline
1
-
42
29


Dunoon
1
-
8
-


Duns
-
-
2
2


Edinburgh
8
2
175
120


Elgin
2
-
32
21


Falkirk
10
-
82
32


Forfar
-
-
15
6


Fort William
3
1
26
6


Glasgow
45
11
497
141


Greenock
2
-
23
10


Haddington
1
-
13
23


Hamilton
2
3
98
110


Inverness
18
2
79
8


Jedburgh
-
1
2
15


Kilmarnock
5
3
93
43


Kirkcaldy
8
1
59
39


Kirkcudbright
2
-
4
4


Kirkwall
3
-
14
-


Lanark
-
-
17
7


Lerwick
1
-
9
-


Livingston
8
2
57
38


Oban
-
1
1
2


Paisley
10
1
87
42


Peebles
-
1
1
3


Perth
3
-
66
20


Peterhead
2
-
38
6


Rothesay
-
-
2
4


Selkirk
-
-
7
3


Stirling
-
2
43
21


Stonehaven
2
1
10
8


Stornoway
2
-
14
-


Stranraer
-
2
9
14


Tain
-
-
30
2


Wick
2
-
21
1


Grand Total
184
45
2,254
1,059



  Note: 1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures were issued for (a) assault and (b) assault to injury in March 2010, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges of (a) assault and (b) assault to injury where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  The 193 charges relate to a total of 169 persons issued with an offer of a direct measure, out of a total of 3,070 persons offered a direct measure during the same period.

  The figures include only those direct measures that were affected by the provisions in the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  

Office
Direct Measures issued
Charges Reported


Assault
Assault to Injury
Assault
Assault to Injury


Aberdeen
12
7
148
47


Airdrie
11
-
63
37


Alloa
1
-
16
16


Arbroath
4
1
27
15


Ayr
1
-
48
40


Banff
-
-
3
7


Campbeltown
-
-
3
6


Cupar
-
-
12
12


Dingwall
2
-
21
2


Dornoch
3
-
2
-


Dumbarton
1
3
79
34


Dumfries
2
2
16
19


Dundee
8
4
69
28


Dunfermline
3
1
48
52


Dunoon
-
-
4
-


Duns
1
-
1
3


Edinburgh
5
2
171
117


Elgin
2
2
35
8


Falkirk
5
-
73
21


Forfar
2
-
16
-


Fort William
2
-
7
8


Glasgow
52
10
446
126


Greenock
4
2
23
9


Haddington
1
-
12
18


Hamilton
7
1
93
53


Inverness
19
2
91
8


Jedburgh
-
-
13
17


Kilmarnock
5
1
106
38


Kirkcaldy
10
1
54
52


Kirkcudbright
-
-
3
2


Kirkwall
1
-
8
-


Lanark
1
-
10
2


Lerwick
-
-
4
-


Livingston
3
3
45
44


Lochmaddy
1
-
3
-


Oban
-
-
2
5


Paisley
6
4
63
42


Peebles
-
-
3
1


Perth
2
-
45
10


Peterhead
3
3
24
7


Rothesay
-
-
3
1


Selkirk
-
2
2
7


Stirling
3
-
44
27


Stonehaven
1
-
8
3


Stornoway
4
-
17
-


Stranraer
2
-
5
16


Tain
1
-
19
-


Wick
2
-
13
1


Grand Total
193
51
2,021
961



  Note: 1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

Crofters Commission

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.04 million outturn efficiency for the Crofters Commission in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: The savings were achieved through the deletion of two specific posts which became vacant and which were considered non-essential in view of changes to the commission’s priorities.

Crofting

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a crofting community trust is regarded as a properly constituted organisation in relation to applications for assistance from public funds.

Roseanna Cunningham: A crofting community trust will - as with all applicants - require to meet the eligibility requirements for any public funding programme to which they apply, in order to be considered for funding.

Crofting

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications for assistance from public funds from crofting community trusts are subject to the same scrutiny as those from other organisations.

Roseanna Cunningham: An eligible crofting community trust’s application to a public funding scheme is subject to the same level of scrutiny as applications from other eligible organisations.

Emergency Services

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made to rapid response procedures for ambulances since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Since 2002 the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has operated a system of priority based dispatch. The principles of priority-based dispatch are that calls should receive a speed and type of response that is appropriate to their clinical condition, and that the dispatching of response resources should therefore be prioritised on the basis of information received from callers. The processes that support the operation of this system have remained largely unchanged since they were introduced.

  Paramedic response units (formally referred to as rapid response vehicles or fast response vehicles) have been a feature of the service’s response to emergency calls since 2002 when priority-based dispatch was introduced in Scotland. As a rule, where the service sends a paramedic response unit (PRU) it will automatically be backed up by a traditional accident and emergency ambulance. This back up resource can be stood down should the first paramedic on scene consider that it is not required.

  Since late 2007, paramedic response units have been deployed to all categories of call, previously they had only been sent to category A calls. Since that time, and only for a small number of clinically appropriate conditions, the paramedic response unit is not automatically backed up. Should the first paramedic on scene require it, they can request a back up crew.

  Any revisions to the way the service operates are, and will continue to be, subject to close clinical scrutiny by Scottish Ambulance Service clinical and staff governance structures.

  Ambulance response times are continually monitored by the Scottish Ambulance Service at all levels of the organisation, including regular performance reporting to the SAS board.

Emergency Services

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances when an ambulance can be dispatched without a paramedic on board.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances when an ambulance returning to hospital can be dispatched without a paramedic on board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service recruits and trains to allow for traditional accident and emergency ambulances to be staffed by a paramedic and a technician. In circumstances where this is not possible, due for example to sickness absence, the emergence medical dispatch centre (EMDC) will endeavour to provide paramedic support by sending a backup paramedic response unit to appropriate cases or by providing professional advice or support from the paramedic advisor in the EMDC.

Emergency Services

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the independent review of Scotland’s water rescue capability by Paddy Tomkins and when the recommendations will be implemented.

Fergus Ewing: In his report, Paddy Tomkins concluded that the current multi-agency approach to water rescue in Scotland is robust and recommended that there is no requirement for new legislation or wholesale change to current arrangements. However, he did indicate that there is scope for making more effective use of the resources currently held by responder agencies as well as those held by the private and voluntary sectors.

  Before making any decisions on how to proceed, I was keen to hear members’ views of the findings of the independent review. During the Scottish Government debate held in the Parliament on 21 January, I was pleased at the level of support which the review and its recommendations received from members. In responding to the issues raised by members, I was happy to announce the establishment of a stakeholder group to take the work forward.

  The first meeting of the stakeholder group has been arranged for 2 June and invitations have been issued to a range of key stakeholders, including workforce representatives, in line with the commitment I made during the debate. It will be the responsibility of this group to consider the recommendations with a view to ensuring an effective and proportionate water rescue capability across Scotland.

Emergency Services

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service report examining minimum response times.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Advisory Unit (SFRAU) is currently conducting a review of fire and rescue services’ Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMP) - locally determined risk-assessed methodology for deploying fire authority resources. This review will include an examination of response times. SFRAU will also conduct a literature review of available reference material relating to response times and will consider the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s report as part of this work.

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the process is for those with an interest in land within proposed special protection areas to express views about the designation of that land and what issues raised in this way the Scottish Ministers are permitted to take into account in making their decision.

Roseanna Cunningham: Interested parties were invited to respond to consultation on the proposals as conducted by Scottish Natural Heritage on behalf of Scottish Ministers and which closed on 7 April 2010.

  Whilst ministers will wish to be aware of all issues raised by consultees, decisions in the European Court of Justice have established that the identification and designation of sites under the EC Birds and Habitats Directives must be based on scientific criteria only.

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information (a) may and (b) may not be taken into account when designating special protection areas and special areas of conservation and in setting their boundaries.

Roseanna Cunningham: Information on the development and application of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines is available via the following web link http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1405 .

  Information on the SAC selection process in the UK is available via the following web link http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1460.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32801 on 23 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much land affected by proposals for new special protection areas for golden eagles is peatland.

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage estimates that there are 46,656 ha of peatland within the proposed Special Protection Areas.

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish population of golden eagles is and how many of them are to be found in (a) classified and (b) proposed special protection areas.

Roseanna Cunningham: SNH has advised that there are 442 pairs of breeding golden eagles in Scotland (based on the most recent national survey). Whilst breeding pairs generally remain in their established territories, sub-adults range extensively and there is no reliable estimate for this component of the population.

  At present, SPAs classified for the species support 53 pairs of eagles (11.9% of the Scottish breeding population). The proposed SPAs support an additional 72 pairs (16.3% of the Scottish breeding population).

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the closing date is for the consultation on proposed special protection areas for golden eagles and when it expects to make decisions on designation.

Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32801 on 23 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Any decisions on the proposals will be announced in due course.

Environment

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether special protection area and special area of conservation designations prevent economic development in such areas and how it determines whether economic development proposals are compatible with the site conservation objectives.

Roseanna Cunningham: The principle of sustainable use is promoted by the European Commission for Natura 2000 sites and economic development is not automatically precluded as a result of such designations. However, development must be compatible with the requirements of the EC Habitats Directive as transposed into domestic legislation by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended).

  It is for competent authorities to execute the procedural requirements of those regulations as necessary when considering any economic development proposal.

Ferry Services

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much a 40% discount for all island and peninsular residents across all ferry routes would cost the Scottish Government to introduce in comparison with the current and future costs of the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot.

Stewart Stevenson: The information required to answer this question is not available.

Ferry Services

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost it to extend the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot to all ferry routes on the Clyde and to the Argyll islands.

Stewart Stevenson: It is estimated that the additional revenue cost of extending the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot to all ferry routes on the Clyde and the Argyll islands is in the range of £10 million to £14 million per annum.

  The £10 million figure assumes an increase in patronage, and hence increased fares revenue, equivalent to the impact currently being experienced on the RET pilot routes.

  The £14 million figure assumes that there is no additional patronage effects as a consequence of lower RET fares.

  These figures are based on an analysis of the following routes – Oban to Craignure; Fishnish to Lochaline; Fionnphort to Iona; Tarbert Loch Fyne to Portavadie; Kennacraig to Islay; Tayinloan to Gigha; Wemyss Bay to Rothesay; Colintraive to Rhubodach; Ardrossan to Brodick; Claonaig to Lochranza; Largs to Cumbrae Slip, and Gourock to Dunoon.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.045 million outturn efficiency for the Deer Commission for Scotland in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09 .

Roseanna Cunningham: Deer Commission for Scotland outturn efficiency savings of £0.045 million in 2008-09 arose from decreased accommodation costs associated with their co-location with Scottish Natural Heritage in Great Glen House.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £8.46 million outturn cash-releasing efficiency for Scottish Natural Heritage in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09 .

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) cash-releasing efficiency of £8.46 million in 2008-09, which includes both recurring and non-recurring savings, was delivered through the following categories:

  Shared Services (£0.1 million) – arising from the co-location of the regional offices of SNH, Forest Enterprise, Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate and Highlands and Islands Enterprise Caithness and Sutherland in one new office in Golspie;

  Asset Management (£6.5 million) – arising from the disposal of surplus freehold and leasehold property in Edinburgh and Golspie, the disposal of vehicles, energy efficiency improvements, and more efficient utilisation of staff;

  Procurement (£0.05 million) – arising from a change to SNH’s pension provision contract and review of mobile telephone usage.

  Other initiatives (£1.8 million) – chiefly a notional cash efficiencies arising from the absorption of additional work, principally relating to the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP), within SNH’s existing resources. Other savings arose from vacancy management and an increase in electronic publishing on SNH’s website.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £4.52 million outturn time-releasing efficiency for Scottish Natural Heritage in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09 .

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) time-releasing efficiency of £4.52 million in 2008-09 was delivered through: the absorption of additional work within its existing resources without adversely affecting the organisation’s performance; rationalising the system for monitoring and managing commissioned research, and, improving its recruitment process by introducing more on-line recruitment and reducing the need for contractors.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.928 million outturn efficiency for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: The £0.928 million outturn efficiency for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in 2008-09 was achieved by the following:

  1 - Absorption of New Duty Work by Current staff

  Total Savings Achieved: £709,000.

  By implementing more efficient working practices and re-engineering service delivery SEPA has been able to maintain its FTE staff and service quality rather than increase. This, along with maintained service provision, delivers efficiency savings from the non filling of vacant posts.

  2 - Property: Establishment of Training Suite at SEPA offices, Perth

  Total Savings Achieved: £18,000.

  The construction of a training suite at SEPA, Whitefriars, Perth saved £18,000 per year compared to the costs of external venue hire. These costs are net of any additional costs at Perth in providing in house training and development sessions.

  3 - Recruitment Costs

  Total Savings Achieved: £20,000.

  Management of recruitment through reduced advertising costs. This was achieved by designing fewer, smaller recruitment advertisements within newspaper adverts, increasing the use of SEPA’s website and renegotiating placement fees with recruitment agencies

  4 - Procurement Savings

  Total Savings Achieved: £100,000.

  SEPA migrated its Wide Area Network onto the Police national Network Contract 3 generating efficiencies of £100,000 in SEPA.

  5 - Shared Services

  Total Savings Achieved: £81,000.

  SEPA entered shared office accommodation with The Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park in Balloch, saving £81,000 pa when compared to leasing commercial accommodation.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £11.9 million outturn efficiency for the Forestry Commission Scotland in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland achieved its efficiency outturn by disposing of assets that were not delivering strongly against Scottish Government objectives.

Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £1.393 million outturn efficiency for Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh achieved efficiency savings of £1.393 million in 2008-09 by the following sources:

  Levering in donations (£1 million) for the Gateway Visitor Centre to supplement Scottish Government capital funding.

  Securing co-funding (£0.331 million) for research projects while obtaining 100% of the contract outputs.

  Improving business processes, such as staff deployment and working practices (£0.062 million).

Finance

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it defines as a properly constituted organisation in relation to applications for assistance from public funds.

Roseanna Cunningham: Organisations looking to acquire funding from public funds will require to be properly constituted in accordance with the requirements of whichever funding programme they apply to.

  For example regulation 9 of The Leader Grants (Scotland) Regulations 2008 defines an eligible body for LEADER grant purposes. In addition to a group, the regulation provides that a consortia which is a collaboration between groups and individuals (where such collaboration is governed by a written legal agreement) can be an eligible body.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of trees were planted in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 and have been planted in 2009-10.

Roseanna Cunningham: The total areas of new woodland created with grant-aid support, and also on the national forest estate, in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 are given in the following table.

  Area of New Woodland Created (Hectares)

  

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10 (Estimate)


4,167
3,306
2,600



  Note: The figure for 2009-10 is currently an estimate.

  Using an average stocking density of 2,000 trees per hectare, the average number of trees planted annually since 2007-08 is estimated at 6.7 million.

Forestry

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much land affected by proposals for new special protection areas for golden eagles is classified as plantable for trees.

Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland estimates that approximately 100,000 ha of the proposed Special Protection Areas has potential for woodland expansion (either by planting or natural generation).

Further Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 20 March 2010, College places for 4,000, whether the £8.4 million to which it refers is new money or whether it is the £8.4 million allocated for 2010-11 for additional funding for colleges places announced by the Scottish Funding Council on 9 July 2009.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Funding Council is using £8.4 million of its own resources as match-funding to secure an additional £6.9 million from European Structural Funds. This sum of £8.4 million was provided to the funding council as part of a two-year package of additional funding amounting to £28.1 million, which was announced by the Scottish Government on 8 July 2009. The combined sum of £15.3 million will be used to create an additional 4,100 college places.

Further Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 20 March 2010, College places for 4,000, what factors will be used to determine how the funding is allocated across (a) local authorities and (b) colleges.

Keith Brown: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I will ask the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Further Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 20 March 2010, College places for 4,000, whether it will allocate any of the £15.3 million funding to colleges that received additional funding for places for 2009-10.

Keith Brown: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I will ask the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Further Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 20 March 2010, College places for 4,000, whether it will give preference in its allocation of this new funding to colleges that did not receive additional funding for places for 2009-10.

Keith Brown: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I will ask the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following its introduction of a new certification mark to recognise high standards throughout the construction industry, whether it will offer a compensation scheme for consumers where standards are not maintained.

Stewart Stevenson: Compensation is a contractual matter between the Approved Certifier and their client. Approved Certifiers are assessed as having the appropriate competency level to provide customers with assurance that design or construction work complies with building regulations. Certified aspects of projects are covered by insurance and a rigorous complaints, disciplinary and appeals process is managed by the certification scheme provider.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its best estimate is of the long-term job creation potential associated with the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

Stewart Stevenson: The original assessment of the wider economic benefits arising from the introduction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) project (Roger Tym and Partners – Assessment of Wider Economic Benefits – June 2005, commissioned by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) reported the potential for:

  650 jobs over a 10 year period (or 65 jobs per annum) within Glasgow, and

  through development opportunities within Paisley town centre, of an office market, 675-700 jobs over a three to four year period.

  These figures were on the basis of employment growth forecasts for the affected local authority areas in the period 2003–11 and with the introduction of GARL passenger services in 2009.

  It is reasonable to expect that the completion of the Paisley Corridor Improvements project and the introduction of resultant passenger services on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde routes will have a beneficial impact on the local economy and therefore opportunities for employment.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for land acquired for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32289 on 19 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the information in the Transport Scotland minute to ministers of 1 May 2009 indicating £40 million of expenditure on the branch line at that time, what the total estimated cost is of the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33171 on 22 April 2010, which sets out the actual costs incurred up until 31 March 2010 along with a forecast of the remaining costs to close out. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The actual wording in the submission to Ministers by officials in Transport Scotland, dated 1 May 2009, reads as follows at page 2, paragraph 10 it states inter alia:

  "Costs

  10. The cost profile for the Branch Line project is attached at Annex A. To date around £40m has been spent on preparatory and advance works. The cost of the work on the main line is contractually committed through the CP4 Determination and is financed through the RAB."

  To clarify therefore the cost incurred to date, as at 1 May 2009, of "around £40m" refers to the Glasgow Airport Rail Link / Paisley Corridor Improvements (GARL/PCR) project in totality and is not the cost associated with the branch line element of the GARL project.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what businesses faced compulsory purchase of their premises on land intended for that element of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project that has been cancelled.

Stewart Stevenson: The following businesses had their premises (or part thereof) acquired via Compulsory Purchase under the powers of Section 12 of the GARL Act 2007:

  Cape DBI

  Rentokil Ailsa

  Crossroads Road Plate Hire

  Bike IT Motorcycle Training

  Joe Shirley Tyres

  Kenyart Ltd

  McGarvey Construction

  JMJ Scotland

  JM Taylor Holdings

  McConechy Tyres .

  Compulsory Purchase powers could have been exercised over the following business premises, however voluntary sales were agreed:

  BRB Residuary Ltd

  Airlink Security Park

  Mr J McGlynn.

  Compulsory Purchase powers were also available to be exercised over Network Rail and Renfrewshire Council; however these rights were not used/implemented due to the existence of separate agreements.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much compensation was paid for land acquisition associated with the cancelled part of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

Stewart Stevenson: As at 31 March 2010 some £896,275 had been spent in relation to five plots of land which were acquired for the branch line element of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Act (2007).

  Discussions between the District Valuer and the previous owners in relation to a further four plots of land acquired are still ongoing, with respect to concluding a sale price.

  A number of other plots were acquired out with the compulsory purchase orders process via a wider acquisition of the resident business by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

  It should be noted that the figure quoted above relates solely to the land acquisition cost as compensation costs, agreed on an individual basis with each affected land owner and/or business, are considered to be confidential. We have therefore only provided a summary of the individual land acquisition costs as recorded in the Sasines Register.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that patients with long-term conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, are receiving adequate levels of care and whether a ministerial statement will be made on this issue.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-32206 on 16 March 2010 and S3W-32784 on 20 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The Scottish Government is developing a National Musculoskeletal Programme to improve the delivery of musculoskeletal and chronic pain services. A national programme board, chaired by an NHS board chief executive, is being established to drive implementation.

  We have also highlighted to the Scottish Society for Rheumatology the benefits of a managed clinical network (MCN) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as this would help promote multi-disciplinary working and develop standards of care. MCNs require an evidence base, and SIGN Guideline 48 on RA provides this. They are also required to participate in audit, and CARA would satisfy this core principle. We have also highlighted the benefits of an MCN approach to Arthritis Care Scotland, the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, since the voluntary sector must be involved in all MCN developments.

  This work is being undertaken in the context of our Long Term Conditions Action Plan, issued as CEL 23 (2009) on 16 June 2009, which forms a key part of our new Quality Strategy. The Action Plan sets out a shared vision: that throughout Scotland, those with long term conditions and those who support them feel valued, confident and able to enjoy full and positive lives. Robust reporting arrangements have been put in place to enable monitoring of implementation of the Action Plan by the geographical and special NHS boards

  In light of this ongoing work, we do not believe there is any need for a ministerial statement.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement on the consistency of access to NHS rheumatology services across Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32906 on 23 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the cost to the economy from lost working days as a result of rheumatoid arthritis.

Nicola Sturgeon: A National Audit Office Report on services for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), published on 15 July 2009, suggests that RA costs the UK economy an estimated £1.8 billion a year as a result of sick leave and work-related disability.

  Funding has been provided through the Delivery Framework for Adult Rehabilitation for a national lead to support the rollout of the National Musculoskeletal Programme. It is developing integrated multi-disciplinary teams to: improve access to diagnosis and treatment; reduce waiting times; enable self management, and, where appropriate, facilitate early return to work and avoid long-term absence and long-term dependency on social security benefits.

  The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives provides a wide range of support to employers in order to promote health and wellbeing in the working age population. As part of the Health Works Strategy, we will emphasise in the "Scottish Offer" the importance of the role health services can play in achieving patients’ employment goals.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31317 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 February 2010, when the concerns about dental provision in Dumbarton were raised with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Nicola Sturgeon: Issues regarding the impact on dental services in Dumbarton were raised with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as part of the assessment of the Outline Business Case for Alexandria Health Centre on 1 April 2009.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Dental Officer was consulted on all the dental aspects of the Vision of the Vale in advance of the bid for the capital allocation for the Alexandria Medical Centre.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Dental Officer was provided with information regarding community dentistry provision in the Clyde area during visits to the dental clinics in the Alexandria area in April 2008 following initial discussions with the Director of Oral Health within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This included details of the numbers attending, members of staff, and categories of patients. The Outline Business Case for the new Alexandria Health Centre did not refer to the proposed closure of the dental surgeries in Dumbarton. As part of the assessment of the Outline Business Case, the Chief Dental Officer sought clarification of the impact of proposed dental services on existing community dentistry in Dumbarton.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Alexandria Medical Centre will be rebuilt and, if so, when.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32947 on 21 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31317 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 February 2010, what expedited procedures are in place to determine the outcome of the Alexandria Medical Centre.

Nicola Sturgeon: Arrangements are in hand to notify Greater Glasgow and Clyde of approval of the Outline Business Case now that confirmation has been received regarding the provision of community dentistry services within Dumbarton.

Health

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been in communication with the UK Department of Health regarding the recent consultation on the regulation of herbalists and, if so, whether it is knows the number of responses received.

Nicola Sturgeon: We have maintained continuous dialogue with the UK Department of Health and the other two UK countries. This will continue as the response to the recent joint UK consultation on the regulation of practitioners of herbalism, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine is developed. There were 6,669 responses to the consultation by the due deadline.

Health

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to assess the response to the consultation on the regulation of herbalists to ensure that action taken reflects the interests of Scottish people regarding access to traditional medicines.

Nicola Sturgeon: The joint consultation on whether and, if so, how, to regulate practitioners of herbalism, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (a devolved area in Scotland), was issued on behalf of all four UK countries by the Department of Health in England. In view of the large number of responses, additional resource for the work on the consultation analysis was sought from a private consultancy. Purely quantitative or qualitative analysis has proved difficult, due to the volume of responses and the number and complexity of the consultation questions. In addition, some replies proved ambiguous and difficult to classify. The response to the consultation will take into account the quality of the responses and the evidence base supporting respondents’ arguments.

  The prime aim of regulation is to protect the public. Decisions informed by the consultation analysis will be taken by ministers in all four UK countries against that background and bearing in mind the need for a proportionate, risk-based approach which considers the full "menu" of regulatory alternatives recommended in the report of the UK Extending Professional Regulation Working Group. I will also be taking into account any particularly Scottish issues that have arisen from the consultation, and the potential future effect on employment and businesses.

Local Government

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are restrictions regarding the size of local authority vans that can be parked in residential areas outside the homes of local authority employees.

Stewart Stevenson: There are no specific restrictions. However, local authorities have powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to promote Traffic Regulation Orders which can be introduced for a variety of reasons including the allocation of road space for specific purposes, such as parking and the restriction of vehicles deemed to be unsuitable in certain locations.

NHS Finance

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding allocated to NHS Borders for 2010-11 will be sufficient for NHS Borders to deliver its planned capital projects.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Borders approved its’ Local Delivery Plan including its capital programme on 1 April 2010. The gross planned capital programme of £6.451 million for 2010-11 will allow NHS Borders to deliver a range of capital investment priorities including provision for Renal Services at Borders General Hospital (£1.5 million), commencement of an Integrated Health Strategy (£1.037 million), commencing Roxburgh Street Community Health Centre in Galashiels (£0.6 million), Jedburgh Community Health Centre (£0.6 million) and capital grants (£0.7 million). The capital budget will also support a range of other property, IT and equipment rolling programmes and projects totalling £2.014 million.

NHS Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital budget is for NHS Grampian for 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian were notified of the formula capital budget for 2010-11 of £28.052 million in March 2010. Further allocations will be made available thereafter to fund central funded programmes.

  NHS Grampian are in the process of agreeing a financial plan as part of the local delivery plan submission for 2010-11 which is scheduled to go before the board on 1 June 2010. Upon completion of this process the plan will be submitted to Scottish Government for formal approval.

NHS Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital plans are for NHS Grampian for 2011-12.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has not yet completed formal approval processes for a capital plan for 2011-12.

NHS Hospitals

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that inpatient hospital food is palatable as well as nutritional.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of providing food for patients which is palatable as well as nutritious. That is why Health Facilities Scotland is working with the National Catering Advisory Group to ensure continuous improvement and to share best practice. Furthermore, all NHS boards carry out regular sampling of patient meals and have regular patient satisfaction questionnaires to identify any areas for improvement.

NHS Services

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private-hire taxi firms are required to have enhanced disclosure certification for contract work with NHS boards.

Adam Ingram: Disclosure Scotland provides criminal record checks for recruitment and other purposes under Part 5 of the Police Act 1997. That act does not impose any requirements about when the checks should and should not be used.

  Under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, it is an offence to employ someone who is disqualified from working with children in a child care position. The way to check if a person is disqualified from child care work is by using the enhanced disclosure check. It is for NHS boards to decide whether or not enhanced disclosures should be used for private-hire taxi firms doing contract work for them.

NHS Staff

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses took up employment with NHS Grampian in band 5 nursing posts in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has informed me that the number of graduate nurses who have taken up employment with them is as set out in the following table:

  

2007-08
143


2008-09
223


2009-10
180

NHS Staff

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses took up posts with NHS Grampian as auxiliary members of nursing staff in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate nurses have taken up posts with NHS Grampian as auxiliary members of nursing staff in 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: The employment of auxiliary staff including healthcare support workers is a matter for NHS Grampian who are responsible for workforce planning in their area. NHS Grampian has informed me that they do not keep data relating to graduate nurses employed as auxiliary members of nursing staff.

NHS Staff

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people graduated with a BA or BA (Hons) in nursing from the Robert Gordon University in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of people who graduated with a BA or BA(Hons) in nursing from the Robert Gordon University is set out in table 1.

  Table 1

  

RGU
BA/BA Hons


2007-08
148


2008-09
196


2009-10
187



  In addition Table 2 sets out the number of people who achieved a Dip of Higher Education in Nursing from Robert Gordon University.

  Table 2

  

RGU
Dip HE Nursing


2007-08
112


2008-09
67


2009-10
25

NHS Staff

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian regarding the decision to end the Staff Nurse Development Programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: Until 2009, NHS Grampian had a two year Staff Nurse Development Programme which they used as a pathway for newly qualified nurses entering employment.

  Following discussions at Robert Gordon University’s annual review meetings in 2008 and 2009, at which NHS Grampian were present, my officials reflected concerns they had received from newly qualified nurses about the two year programme. NHS Grampian were urged to consider a different approach. As a result, NHS Grampian has now adopted a one year pathway based on the national Flying Start NHS Programme.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.133 million outturn efficiency for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority’s (LLTNPA) outturn efficiency savings of £0.133 million arose from reductions in management and overhead costs including savings on heating, security, printing and stationery and staff travel costs.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.12 million outturn efficiency for the Cairngorms National Park Authority in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.

Roseanna Cunningham: Cairngorms National Park Authority’s (CNPA) outturn efficiency savings of £0.12 million arose from reductions in management and overhead costs including savings on rent, staffing costs and computer support costs.

New Campus Glasgow

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a business case has been submitted by the New Campus Glasgow project.

Keith Brown: No business case has yet been submitted to ministers relating to the New Campus Glasgow project.

Piers and Harbours

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, by what criteria it decides whether an individual order made under the Harbours Act 1964 is a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, as amended.

Stewart Stevenson: No definition of a plan or project is given in the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. The European Court of Justice noted in the Waddenzee case (C-127/02) that "project" is not defined in the Habitats Directive, and took the view that the definition in Article 1(2) of the EIA Directive should apply to both Directives. A decision as to whether the application for an order contains a plan or project must be made on a case-by-case basis, guided by both the facts and circumstances of the application and precedent such as the Waddenzee case.

Piers and Harbours

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, what response it gives to the advice of Scottish Natural Heritage in determining whether an order made under the Harbours Act 1964 constitutes or includes a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, as amended

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, what response it gives to advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, in determining whether an order made under the Harbours Act 1964 constitutes or includes a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, as amended, that such a plan or project is likely to have a significant effect on a European wildlife site.

Stewart Stevenson: As indicted in the previous answer to question S3W-32286 each case is dealt with on its individual merits and the response given to Scottish Natural Heritage advice would be determined by the nature of the specific issues and the advice provided.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has agreed payment to First ScotRail to meet some or all of the costs incurred by the company to train staff to replace First ScotRail conductors taking industrial action.

Stewart Stevenson: No agreement has been made to pay such costs.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, since the extension of the ScotRail franchise, it or Transport Scotland have been advised by First ScotRail of the existence of correspondence between the company and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers confirming that conductors would not be moved from any services during the current franchise.

Stewart Stevenson: Both ScotRail and the RMT made the correspondence available to Transport Scotland.

  ScotRail as the employer and operator of the service are of the view that trains already operate with Driver and Ticket Examiner and the new Airdrie to Bathgate section would naturally extend this operation. The existing Bathgate to Edinburgh service which is operated with Driver and Conductor will cease to exist from December when services commence on the new Helensburgh to Glasgow to Edinburgh via Airdrie to Bathgate route.

  ScotRail has stated that this is no different from the extension of the Larkhall to Milngavie services opened in 2005.

Regeneration

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Enterprise regarding the use of tax increment financing for city centre regeneration projects in Aberdeen.

John Swinney: There have been no discussions with Scottish Enterprise regarding the use of Tax Increment Financing for city centre regeneration projects in Aberdeen.

Schools

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in identifying and agreeing the funding needed to build a new Eastwood High School in East Renfrewshire.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) wrote to East Renfrewshire Council in January 2010, setting out the maximum amount of funding that the Scottish Government will contribute towards the construction costs of the new Eastwood High School. The SFT’s letter indicated that the council should anticipate receiving a maximum funding contribution of £17.75 million, which represents two-thirds of the capital cost of building the new school.

Schools

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding needed to build a new Eastwood High School has been provided to (a) the Scottish Futures Trust and (b) East Renfrewshire Council.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government support towards the construction costs of the new Eastwood High School will be provided directly to East Renfrewshire Council. No funding has yet been provided to the council as the project is still in procurement.

Schools

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for building a new Eastwood High School in East Renfrewshire.

Keith Brown: The replacement of Eastwood High School, together with Lasswade High School in Midlothian, is part of the pilot project being taken forward by the Scottish Futures Trust. The design team for the pilot project will be appointed shortly. The tendering process to secure a building contractor commenced on 31 March 2010. It is anticipated that a contractor will be appointed by summer 2011 and that construction will commence in January 2012, for completion by summer 2013.

Schools

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school openings Scottish ministers have attended since 17 September 2009, broken down by (a) date, (b) school, (c) local authority and (d) minister involved.

Keith Brown: Details of such school openings by Scottish ministers are set out in the following table:

  

Date
School
Local Authority
Minister


28 September 2009
Armadale Academy, Armadale
West Lothian
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning


16 December 2009
St Kentigern’s RC Academy, Blackburn
West Lothian
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning


28 January 2010
Fintry Primary School, Dundee
Dundee City
Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning


 2 March 2010
Grove Academy, Dundee
Dundee City
First Minister


 9 March 2010
Forrester High School, Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth


23 March 2010
Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross
Perth and Kinross
First Minister

Schools

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private-hire taxi firms are required to have enhanced disclosure certification for contract work with schools.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private-hire taxi firms engaged to undertake contract work with schools are exempt in respect of enhanced disclosure requirements.

Adam Ingram: Disclosure Scotland provides criminal record checks for recruitment and other purposes under Part 5 of the Police Act 1997. That act does not impose any requirements about when the checks should and should not be used.

  Under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, it is an offence to employ someone who is disqualified from working with children in a child care position. The way to check if a person is disqualified from child care work is by using the enhanced disclosure check. It is for education authorities to decide whether or not enhanced disclosures should be used for private-hire taxi firms doing school contract work.

Scottish Government Consultations

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive by what procedure government directorates and agencies and non-departmental public bodies respond to consultations by or on behalf of the Scottish Ministers; whether representations are made in public, in private or both, and, if in private, for what reasons they are not made in public.

Roseanna Cunningham: It is a matter for individual public bodies (which include executive agencies and NDPBs) to decide whether to respond to consultations by or on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. As part of government, Scottish Government Directorates do not participate in public consultation exercises.

Security Industry

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers there to be sufficient statutory safeguards in place to ensure that those companies that apply for security work associated with public contracts are run by fit and proper persons.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has made it a condition of contract that those providing private security services directly or indirectly to it achieve Approved Contractor Status from the Security Industry Authority. The authority is the body responsible for regulating the private security industry across the UK, and must be satisfied that a company and its directors meet its "fit and proper" organisation/person tests before conferring Approved Contractor Status on a company. We have communicated this across the wider public sector in Scotland with a view to encouraging other public bodies to adopt this policy.

  Under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, a company can be excluded from bidding for public contracts if it, or those controlling it, have been convicted of offences including conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, have been convicted of committing a criminal offence relating to the conduct of its business or profession and have committed an act of grave misconduct in the course of its business or profession.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what special advisers have taken unpaid leaving during the period of the 2010 UK general election.

John Swinney: No special advisers have taken unpaid leave during the period of the 2010 UK General Election.

Wildlife

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) area of land is and (b) land use interests are affected by proposals for new special protection areas for golden eagles.

Roseanna Cunningham: Information on the extent of each of the proposed Special Protection Areas (pSPA) is available on the Scottish Natural Heritage website via the following web address:

  http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/GE_consult05.asp#.

  Scottish Natural Heritage has identified the following land use interests in (or in the vicinity of) the pSPAs: agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, nature conservation, recreation, renewable energy, tourism and transport. Additional land use interests may become apparent as a result of consultation on the proposals.